Bridle



(N0 Model.)

' S. A. NOLEN.

BRIDLE.

No. 476,675. Patented June 7, 1892.

W IZhe/x a;

25/ (5.6, magm- UNITED STATES PATENT STEPHEN A. NOLEN, OF MOCRORY, ARKANSAS.

BRlDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,67 5, dated June '7, 1892.

Application filed December 26, 1891. Serial No. 416,121. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN A. NOLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mo- Crory, in the county of XVoodruit and State of Arkansas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Bridles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the connecting parts used to unite the bands or straps of the bridle together and to the bit and from the latter to the reins, and the objects of my improvement are to provide an inexpensive bridle possessing great strength and durability. I attain these obj ects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bridle constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the brow-band, showing at the ends thereof sheet-metal connections to unite it to the head-band and throat-latch. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bridle-bit slightly modified in form.

In said drawings, A designates the throatlatch, which is provided at one end with a buckle a, in which the other end is adj ustabie.

B designates the brow-band having secured to its ends the wire clips I), which are twisted at intervals to form oblong front loops 6 and oblong rear loops b the latter receiving the throat-latch, the twists between said loops uniting the portions of the clips between the loops and retaining the throat-latch A and the head-band C apart from each other at these points. Thelength of the head-band is regulated by passing one end thereof through a buckle c, secured to its opposite end, said head-band being doubled upon itself to form about the middle of its length a loop to receive the upper end of one of the cheek-bars, while a second loop is formed adjacent to its buckle to receive the other cheek-bar. The throat-latch being a strap distinct and independent from the head-band, each one can be adjusted independently of the other.

In Fig. 2 the brow-band has its ends provided with fiat loops attached thereto; but each loop is provided with two openings resembling the loops 1) b of the brow-band in Fig. 1, said openings being formed by a dividingwasher 11 that is riveted thereto and takes the place of the twists in the wire between said loops 1) 12 The cheek-bars on each side consist of a pair of oblong wire links I) and D which are connected together by means of sheet-metal links d. The lower links D are provided on the inner side thereof with leather pads E, that have their lower portion secured to sheetmetal links (1 embracing the lower end of said links D by means of rivets d passing through said links (1 and the upper end of said pads is secured to the links cl by rivets passing through them. are embraced by the ends of bentsheet-metal clips f, riveted thereto, and said clips also embrace the front bars of the lower links D of the cheek-bars. To complete the nose-band and retain its rear portion horizontal, angular wire bails G are provided. The upper end of said bails terminates in eyes g, that encircle the rear side bars of the wire links D, and the lower ends with eyes g encircling the corresponding bars of the wire links D Said wire bails G have their angularly-bent portion connected together by a double-bowed wire G that completes the chin-band. This bowed wire G is connected to the throat-latch by means of alink H, having its two sides twisted together adjacent to its lower looped end and its springy upper ends incased in a sleeve h, that rests upon and embraces the throat-latch. A hitching-strap I is connected to the bowed wire G or it may be to the lower loop of the link H by a snap-hook 2', formed of wire bent substantially in the form of the figure 8.

At the lower ends of the cheekbars the bitbars are secured. Each bit-bar consists of a wire loop K, the sides of which loops have their middle portion or the portion above said middle connected by sheet-metal plates or guards 7c. The rear bars of the loop K have loops m pivoted thereto by means of eyes formed on the ends of said loops, said eyes passing through perforations in the rear edge of the guards in. The front bars of the loop K are connected together bya fiat bit L, formed, preferably, of sheet metal bent and folded upon itself. Said bit is provided at its center with an upwardly-disposed flat plateIPjormed of sheet metal bent to embrace the bit and The ends of the nose-band F having its ends riveted together above said bit. The guard-plates 7c are also formed of sheet metal wrapped around the wire loop of the bit-bar and having their folds riveted together. v

In the slightly-modified form of bit shown in Fig. 3 the ends of the sheet-metal bit If, instead of being connected to the front bars of the bit-bars, have their looped ends Z slightly narrower than the bit and made to project through slots in the guard 7.: of the bit, and to said looped ends are pivoted the loops or rings m to which the reins R can be promptly attached by means of snaphooks S, as shown in Fig. 1.

The bit-bars are connected to the lower ends of the links D of the cheek-bars of the bridle by means of snap-hooks N, as shown.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim- 1. In a bridle, the combination of the headband, the throat-latch, and a brow-band having at each end two loops separated by a wire connection with the wire cheek-barsD and D closed at both ends and the sheet-metal link (Z, uniting them, substantially as described.

2. In a bridle, the combination of the headband, the throat-latch, the brow -band, the wire cheek-bars D and D closed at both ends,

and the sheet-metal link d with the angularwire bails G, having an eye at one end connected with the upper cheek-bars D and an eye at the opposite end connected to the lower cheek-bars D and the link G substantially as described.

8. In a bridle, the combination of the headband, the throatlatch, the brow band, the wire cheek-bars D and D and the sheet-metal link d with the angular bent wire bails G, the link G uniting them, and the link H, having the form of a figure 8, one loop of which embraces the link G and the other loop embracing the throat-latch, substantially as described.

4. In a bridle, the combination of the headband, the throat-latch, the brow-band, the wire cheek-bars D and D closed at both ends, and the sheet-metal link (I with the bit, consisting of wire loops, bitbars K, sheet-metal guards 7.; encircling them, links m, doubled sheet-metal bit L, and plate L centrally embracing said bit, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN A. NOLEN. Vitnesses:

L. A. J ELKS, FLECTHER Lnwrs. 

